May 27 (SeeNews) - An opposition coalition of anti-immigrant Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) and conservative agrarian Slovenian People's Party (SLS) won most votes in Sunday's elections for members of the European Parliament in the country, according to preliminary data of the State Election Commission.
Based on 99.91% of the votes counted, the SDS/SLS coalition received 26.43% support, according to data released by the commission on Monday.
Centre-left Social Democrats (SD) was backed by 18.64% of the voters, the populist List of Marjan Sarec (LMS) got 10.46% support and conservative New Slovenia-Christian Democrats (NSi) party won 11.07%.
Voter turnout stood at 28.29%, according to the preliminary results.
Slovenia will have eight representatives in the 751-seat European Parliament. The election results translate into three MEP seats for SDS/SLS, SD and LMS will have 2 seats each, while NSi will have 1 seat.
The SD doubled their number of MEPs as Tanja Fajon, re-elected for a third term as MEP, will be joined by Milan Brglez, a political science professor who served as Slovenian parliament speaker in 2014-2018.
Milan Zver, Romana Tomc and Franc Bogovic from the SDS/SLS coalition were also re-elected as MEPs, whereas Irena Joveva and Klemen Groselj from the LMS list were elected for the first time. Ljudmila Novak will return to Brussels after ten years as the only MEP from the NSi.
The Left (Levica) and Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia (DeSUS) failed to win a seat, winning respectively 6.35% and 5.65% even though both were projected to be much closer to winning a seat and DeSUS having had an MEP during the 2014-2019 term.
Slovenia's government coalition cabinet led by prime minister Marjan Sarec of LMS is the first minority government in the history of the country. It was formed after the centre-right SDS led by Janez Jansa won a snap vote in 2018 but failed to attract partners to form a cabinet.
The government coalition holds 43 of 90 seats in Slovenia's parliament. It was voted into office with support from Levica, which has 9 seats.
Of the eight seats Slovenia held in the outgoing EP, SDS had 3, NSi in SLS - 2; SD, I BELIEVE! Dr IGOR SOLTES and DeSUS - 1 seat each.